Department of Biotechnology

About: Department of Biotechnology is a government organization based out in New Delhi, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Silver nanoparticle. The organization has 4800 authors who have published 5033 publications receiving 82022 citations.

Global, regional, and national burden of meningitis, 1990-2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Abstract: Summary Background Acute meningitis has a high case-fatality rate and survivors can have severe lifelong disability. We aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the levels and trends of global meningitis burden that could help to guide introduction, continuation, and ongoing development of vaccines and treatment programmes. Methods The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors (GBD) 2016 study estimated meningitis burden due to one of four types of cause: pneumococcal, meningococcal, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and a residual category of other causes. Cause-specific mortality estimates were generated via cause of death ensemble modelling of vital registration and verbal autopsy data that were subject to standardised data processing algorithms. Deaths were multiplied by the GBD standard life expectancy at age of death to estimate years of life lost, the mortality component of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). A systematic analysis of relevant publications and hospital and claims data was used to estimate meningitis incidence via a Bayesian meta-regression tool. Meningitis deaths and cases were split between causes with meta-regressions of aetiological proportions of mortality and incidence, respectively. Probabilities of long-term impairment by cause of meningitis were applied to survivors and used to estimate years of life lived with disability (YLDs). We assessed the relationship between burden metrics and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite measure of development based on fertility, income, and education. Findings Global meningitis deaths decreased by 21·0% from 1990 to 2016, from 403 012 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 319 426–458 514) to 318 400 (265 218–408 705). Incident cases globally increased from 2·50 million (95% UI 2·19–2·91) in 1990 to 2·82 million (2·46–3·31) in 2016. Meningitis mortality and incidence were closely related to SDI. The highest mortality rates and incidence rates were found in the peri-Sahelian countries that comprise the African meningitis belt, with six of the ten countries with the largest number of cases and deaths being located within this region. Haemophilus influenzae type b was the most common cause of incident meningitis in 1990, at 780 070 cases (95% UI 613 585–978 219) globally, but decreased the most (–49·1%) to become the least common cause in 2016, with 397 297 cases (291 076–533 662). Meningococcus was the leading cause of meningitis mortality in 1990 (192 833 deaths [95% UI 153 358–221 503] globally), whereas other meningitis was the leading cause for both deaths (136 423 [112 682–178 022]) and incident cases (1·25 million [1·06–1·49]) in 2016. Pneumococcus caused the largest number of YLDs (634 458 [444 787–839 749]) in 2016, owing to its more severe long-term effects on survivors. Globally in 2016, 1·48 million (1·04—1·96) YLDs were due to meningitis compared with 21·87 million (18·20—28·28) DALYs, indicating that the contribution of mortality to meningitis burden is far greater than the contribution of disabling outcomes. Interpretation Meningitis burden remains high and progress lags substantially behind that of other vaccine-preventable diseases. Particular attention should be given to developing vaccines with broader coverage against the causes of meningitis, making these vaccines affordable in the most affected countries, improving vaccine uptake, improving access to low-cost diagnostics and therapeutics, and improving support for disabled survivors. Substantial uncertainty remains around pathogenic causes and risk factors for meningitis. Ongoing, active cause-specific surveillance of meningitis is crucial to continue and to improve monitoring of meningitis burdens and trends throughout the world. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Protective Effects of Indian Spice Curcumin Against Amyloid-β in Alzheimer's Disease.

Abstract: The purpose of our article is to assess the current understanding of Indian spice, curcumin, against amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. Natural products, such as ginger, curcumin, and gingko biloba have been used as diets and dietary supplements to treat human diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, infectious, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndromes, and neurological disorders. Products derived from plants are known to have protective effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-arthritis, pro-healing, and boosting memory cognitive functions. In the last decade, several groups have designed and synthesized curcumin and its derivatives and extensively tested using cell and mouse models of AD. Recent research on Aβ and curcumin has revealed that curcumin prevents Aβ aggregation and crosses the blood-brain barrier, reach brain cells, and protect neurons from various toxic insults of aging and Aβ in humans. Recent research has also reported that curcumin ameliorates cognitive decline and improves synaptic functions in mouse models of AD. Further, recent groups have initiated studies on elderly individuals and patients with AD and the outcome of these studies is currently being assessed. This article highlights the beneficial effects of curcumin on AD. This article also critically assesses the current limitations of curcumin's bioavailability and urgent need for new formulations to increase its brain levels to treat patients with AD.

Biochemistry of fruit softening: an overview

Abstract: Softening is a developmentally programmed ripening process, associated with biochemical changes in cell wall fractions involving hydrolytic processes resulting in breakdown of cell-wall polymers such as cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin etc. Various hydrolytic reactions are brought about by polygalacturonase, pectin methyl esterase, pectate lyase, rhamnogalacturonase, cellulase and β-galactosidase etc. Besides these enzymes, expansin protein also plays an important role in softening. Textural changes during ripening help in determining the shelf life of a fruit. An understanding of these changes would help in formulating procedures for controlling fruit softening vis-a-vis enhancing shelf life of fruits. In the present review an attempt has been made to coalesce recent findings on biochemistry of fruit softening.

RETRACTED: Biogas production–A review on composition, fuel properties, feed stock and principles of anaerobic digestion

Abstract: In the prevailing scenario, the aberrant use of conventional fuels and the impact of greenhouse gases on the environment have leveraged the research efforts into renewable energy production from organic resources and waste. The global energy demand is high and most of the energy is produced from fossil resources. Recent studies refer the anaerobic digestion (AD) as alternative and efficient technology which combines biofuel production and sustainable waste management. There are different technological trends in biogas industry in order to enhance the production and the quality of biogas. Nevertheless, the success of AD for further investments will rise from the low cost of feedstocks availability and the wide variety of usable forms of biogas (heating, electricity and fuel). Biogas, a combination of two-thirds of methane (CH4) and the rest is mostly carbon dioxide (CO2) with traces of hydrogen sulfide. The spent slurry from the produced biogas can be enriched to be utilized as manure for agricultural crop, promoting sustainable biomass production in the world. Biogas can be utilized to produce centralized or distributed power supply in rural and urban areas and are considered to be cost beneficial. The aim of this review paper is to analyze various feedstocks, which are widely used all over the world. The working operations of anaerobic digestion process, current trends along with its merits and demerits are also discussed in order to draw more research and development towards producing a sustainable environment.